Summary

  • Ireland secure comfortable win in first World Cup game in eight years

  • Amee-Leigh Costigan, Neve Jones and Beibhinn Parsons and Fiona Tuite tries secure Ireland's bonus point before half-time

  • Haruka Hirotsu and Masami Kawamura on target for Japan

  • Superb Eve Higgins breakaway score and Enya Breen try extend Ireland's lead

  • Holders New Zealand face Spain in Sunday's other Pool C game (17:30 BST)

Live Reporting

Mark Strange

  1. Ireland 35-14 Japan

    Goodness me what a hit! Haruka Hirotsu lines up Aoife Dalton for a monstrous hit and the two are both feeling the effects of that one.

    They are back on their feet though. Tough customers.

  2. Ireland 35-14 Japan

    Anna Caplice
    Former Ireland international on BBC Two

    Brilliant vision from Eve Higgins. Take a bow.

  3. try

    Converted Try Ireland 35-14 Japan

    Eve Higgins (con O'Brien)

    Higgins intercepts pass to hit Japan on the counter and score

    That is so cruel on Japan as they play some sumptuous rugby and get to within 10 metres of the line after great work from try scorer Kawamura and winger Misaki Matsumura.

    However, they just try to force one pass too many and Eve Higgins picks it off brilliantly to intercept and run almost the full length of the pitch for a score.

    Dannah O'Brien converts again and how differently this game could have looked had Japan gone over. Instead, Ireland open up their three score advantage. That feels like a real fork-in-the-road moment in this game.

  4. Ireland 28-14 Japan

    Ireland are under the cosh somewhat but Linda Djougang wins a textbook turnover at the ruck.

    That wins her side a penalty midway inside their own half so they will look to boot the ball into Japanese territory.

  5. try

    Converted Try Ireland 28-14 Japan

    Masami Kawamura (con Otsuka)

    Japan scoreGetty Images

    Japan open the scoring in the second half. Like their first try, it is a test of patience as they go through the phases on the try line before flanker Masami Kawamura dots down for a seven-pointer.

    This game is not over by any stretch of the imagination.

  6. Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Japan win an early ruck penalty and got to the corner.

  7. Kick-off

    Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Japan get us back under way as Ireland will receive the ball hoping to build on a tremendous first half.

  8. 'Ireland dominating physical battle'

    HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Simon Middleton
    Former England women head coach on BBC Two

    Ireland are dominating the physical battle. In defence, they're dominating, in the contact area. In attack, they've just got too much speed so all over the park they're dominating the physical contest.

  9. Watch: Tuite secures the bonus point

    HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    'A thing of beauty' - Higgins' mazy run sets up Tuite try as Ireland extend lead

  10. HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Linda DjougangInpho

    Ireland forward Djougang explains that rugby "was never on her radar" as she grew up in County Dublin, but she began playing when she was 17 and a friend invited her to a game of tag rugby.

    Her interest developed when she went to university at Trinity College, Dublin to study nursing.

    "I had to google 'what is rugby?'," explained Djougang of her initial naivety about the sport in which she would ultimately excel.

    "We started playing and I didn't know the rules. There are so many rules in rugby - I was offside all the time until my friend gave me the ball and said, 'when I give you the ball I just want you to run in this direction and score'.

    "I just ran as fast as I could and I put the ball down. Well I dropped the ball and I was like, 'what just happened?'

    "That was my first encounter of it and I still remember it very well. I'm so happy it happened because it was the start of that rugby journey for me."

  11. From googling 'what is rugby?' to playing in a World Cup

    HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Linda DjougangInpho

    Linda Djougang's journey from leaving her mother to travel from Cameroon to Ireland as a nine-year-old to playing in a Rugby World Cup is an unlikely but inspiring one.

    Now aged 29, Djougang has reflected in an interview with BBC Sport how she left her native land for "better opportunities" and went from knowing nothing about rugby to representing her adopted country on the international stage.

    "Back home you don't really have much, but you appreciate what you have," she said.

    "I came over from Cameroon not really knowing much about Ireland.

    "My mother put me on a plane and I met my dad at the airport, that's where the journey really began for me. I left my mother behind, that was a big move.

    "It could get lonely, but I'd been given this opportunity and wanted to make the most of it."

  12. 'Dream start'

    HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Dorothy Wall
    Ireland forward on BBC Two

    It's been a dream start, our errors have been so low. You can't ask for much more in the first half of a World Cup.

  13. 'Togetherness and spirit'

    HT: Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Orla Bannon
    BBC Sport NI at Franklin's Gardens

    Ireland celebrateGetty Images

    The reaction to Fiona Tuite's try summed up the togetherness and spirit that now exists within this Ireland squad.

    Eve Higgins made all the running but knew she was about to be caught and wisely passed inside to the support runner Tuite who just had to power through the last few metres to secure a fourth Irish try.

    She raised an arm in celebration to the subs warming up behind that goal and they immediately ran over and surrounded her.

    A first half that has almost entirely gone to plan for Ireland. They will be delighted heading to the dressing room for half time.

  14. Half-time

    Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Eve HigginsGetty Images

    That first half is about as perfect as Scott Bemand and his team could have written it. A bonus point is secured before the break with their four tries and Ireland have been scintillating with ball in hand.

    Japan have been physical and have caused trouble. They deserved their score but are struggling to stop Ireland when they are in full flow.

  15. Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Aoibheann Riley is down but is sitting up getting her ankle strapped. Hopefully noting too serious for the Ireland scrum half right on the half time hooter.

  16. Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Anna Caplice
    Former Ireland international on BBC Two

    Ireland's strength is coming from their centre partnership. Eve Higgins has started the past 20 games, Aoife Dalton the last 12. They've got that understanding.

  17. try

    Converted Try Ireland 28-7 Japan

    Fiona Tuite (con O'Brien)

    'A thing of beauty' - Higgins' mazy run sets up Tuite try as Ireland extend lead

    A superb break from Eve Higgins is complimented by a brilliant support line from Fiona Tuite to secure Ireland's bonus point!

    Centre Higgins pierces through the red and white line and when she is eventually caught, flanker Tuite is on hand to get a nice offload to canter under the posts.

    Dannah O'Brien knocks over her easiest conversion of the afternoon and it's been a brilliant first half for the green wave.

  18. try

    Converted Try Ireland 21-7 Japan

    Haruka Hirotsu (con Otsuka)

    Japan score a tryGetty Images

    Japan have deserved that one. Really good phase play almost puts Komachi Imakugi over in the corner but for an incredible tackle from Stacey Flood.

    However, Japan won't be denied and centre Hirotsu burrows her way over. Ayasa Otsuka mirrors Dannah O'Brien with a lovely conversion.

    The Sakura Fifteen are on the board.

  19. 'Parsons can light up tournament'

    Ireland 21-0 Japan

    Orla Bannon
    BBC Sport NI at Franklin's Gardens

    Beibhinn Parsons has the capacity to light up this tournament if she gets enough ball.

    This was the first time the electric wing got front foot ball and she made it count, despite a poor pass from Costigan who forced her to grab it high out of the air and pure speed took her over in the corner.

  20. 'Irish strength in depth in back three'

    Ireland 21-0 Japan

    Anna Caplice
    Former Ireland international on BBC Two

    It's brilliant to have [such depth in the back three]. Anna McGann has been playing well so to have her on the bench shows the quality of Ireland's back three.